My Little Girl
by MrsHalsteadxx
Summary: I reach over and place my little girls hand in the hand of the guy that will be taking my place. I just hope he realizes that he was holding my entire world in his hands.


**Okay, this is a old fic - as you will probably see from my writing style. But it has always been a favorite of mine. It's written in a different fandom that I don't even know how to post on this site - so I changed it up a bit. It is now Erin and Jay, and their little family. Because domesticated and family centric linstead are my favvvv .**

 **I mean, daddy Jay? Yes please.**

 **Also, Jay and Erin are much younger in the start of this story, so I presume it would be very AU. But none the less, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

* * *

"Jay?" I hear as Erin, my wife of almost two years, walks in the front door of our house. "Babe are you home?" She asks, as I hear the door shut behind her.

"Yeah," I yell back, from the kitchen. I step to the side and let Driver, our family German Shepard, in the glass sliding door before I shut it. "I'm in here."

She walks in the kitchen smiling ear from ear. "Hey babe," She says walking to me and kissing me.

I smile as she pulls away and leans down to scratch behind Driver's ears, just the way she always has. "Where have you been all afternoon?"

She continues to play with Driver as he looks up at her adoringly. "I had lunch with Kim, and then I had a doctor's appointment."

"A doctor appointment?" I ask, slightly confused as she finally stands up and look me in the eye. "For what? Are you sick?" All of a sudden, I was getting very nervous. Erin was never sick, therefore never went to the doctor.

She shakes her head as she wraps her arms around my neck, my hands instantly go to her hips and pull her into me. "No Jay, I'm fine. It was just my annual checkup, no big deal."

I let out a breath of relief, which I didn't even realize I was holding as she smiled up at me. "Ok good, you scared me." She just stares at me, smiling. I reprimand by raising an eyebrow at her. "What?"

She just shakes her head, still smiling. "Nothing, I just love you."

At that, I smile. "And I love you," I say leaning down and kissing her gently. "More than you will ever know."

She pulls back and looks up at me, that same, beautiful, breathtaking smile, still on her face. "I have some good news."

Again, I raise an eyebrow at her, completely intrigued.

She bites her bottom lip, trying to contain her excitement, but quickly fails as she blurts out "I'm pregnant!"

Hearing that, I instantly pick her up and spin her around as I pepper kisses all over her face. "Oh my god babe, that's amazing!" She laughs, uncontrollably, as she strongly holds on to me while I spin her around.

Soon, we were both laughing so hard that we couldn't breathe while Driver ran circles around us, barking. Laughing, I ease her down to stand in front of me, my hands still on her hips.

After we had both calmed down, I pull her closer to me and she rests her head on her chest. "Erin?"

"Yeah Jay?" She asks, tightening her grip around my waist.

"Not that I'm not happy, because you know I am," I say rubbing my hand up and down her back. "But how is this possible?"

Erin and I have been married for a little over a year, but we were together for years before we got married. Obviously, we were young, but we didn't care, we wanted a baby. We wanted a family, a family of our very own, so we started trying to get pregnant right away. After eight long months of trying and not achieving, Erin started to get discouraged. We went to the doctor and got tested and come to find out, Erin isn't able to conceive a baby.

We were both heartbroken, but Erin took it the hardest. She wanted a baby so bad that it was litterly killing her that she couldn't have a baby. It drove a wedge between us for a while, but eventually we moved on with our lives. Taking the doctor's advice, we stopped trying and just went on with our daily lives, hoping that, when the time was right, something would happen.

She turns her head and buries her face before speaking. "Well you know the doctor told us to stop stressing about it and stop trying and that maybe eventually it would just happen?" I nod, "Well apparently it did. I'm two months pregnant."

A huge smile spreads across my face as I lean down and kisses her again. "This is amazing," I say leaning down to her ear. "We're finally having a baby." I whisper into her ear as my right hand comes to rest on her stomach.

"Alright," Dr. Morrison says walking in the door. She smiles warmly at us as she shuts the door behind her. "How are you doing today mommy?"

I look to Erin, who was sitting on the exam table as she smiles. I was sitting on a stool next to the bed, my right hand intertwined with her left.

Her thumb moves, making small circles on the top of my hand as our intertwined hands rest on her lap. "I'm doing very well," she says turning to face the doctor.

"No sickness?" The doctor asks as she begins to set up her supplies.

Erin shrugs. "I have a little, but nothing major."

Dr. Morrison just smiles at her, "Well then you got very lucky Mrs. Halstead."

At that, Erin just smiles. "That I did," She says turning to me and smiling. I return the smile with a subtle wink before Dr. Morrison speaks up again.

"Alright, why don't you go ahead and lay back and we will get a look at your baby."

Erin nods, and with a little help from me, leans back on the table. She reaches down and lifts her shirt, exposing her tiny, but noticeable baby bump.

"So do you guys want to know the sex?" Dr. Morrison asks as she squirts the gel on to Erin's stomach. Erin slightly grimaces at the coldness of the gel, but quickly re composes herself.

"Yes," She says, speaking up. "We're dying to know actually." She says with a laugh. I nod eagerly and Dr. Morrison just laughs.

"Do you guys have any ideas on what it is?" The doctor asks as she begins to spread the goo around her stomach.

"I kind of think it's a boy," Erin says, speaking up for the two of us. "But Jay seems to think that is going to be a girl."

"Um excuse me," I say speaking up. "I don't think, I know."

Erin just laughs as she turns to the doctor, "He just wants it to be a girl, so he can spoil her. He totally loves the idea of having a 'daddy's little princess'."

 _ **Busted**_

Both Erin and Dr. Morrison turn to me, and all I could do was smile, I knew I wasn't fooling anyone. Erin knew me all too well. I _did_ want a little girl, I had always dreamed of having 'daddy's little princess', someone who would look up to me for comfort and love, someone that would always love me, no matter what she went through, someone who I could always be the most important man in her life. I had Erin, but I knew and respected that Voight would always be the _most_ important man in _her_ life, they had a very close relationship, and I longed to have their relationship with a daughter of my very own.

"Well, odds are one if you are right," Dr. Morrison says turning her attention back to the screen. "I'm just going to take a few measurements and then we will have a look alright?"

Both Erin and I nod as our hands find each other again.

After about five minutes, Dr. Morrison turned to us, "Well it appears the baby is growing just fine, he or she is very healthy and right on track. Your due date is still the same," At that Erin smiles "Now are you ready to find out what the sex of your baby is?"

Almost too excitedly, Erin and I both nod.

Dr. Morrison smiles as she pushes a few buttons on the keyboard. Soon, the computer zooms in and she turns to us with a huge smile on her face.

Erin squeezes my hand and I run my thumb over the top of her hand in anticipation.

"Well, it looks like daddy knows what he's talking about." At that, a huge smile spreads across my face "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Halstead, you are having a very healthy baby girl."

"And here she is," Dr. Morrison says reaching down and taking our daughter into her arms. She then lifts her up so that Erin and I both could see her.

Upon seeing her, I instantly began to cry. She was so beautiful, and she was finally here. My little girl.

I turn to Erin and see her just as emotional as I am. She bites her bottom lip as tears roll down her cheeks. "She's perfect."

"So perfect," I respond as Erin looks up to me. "We did it. We have a daughter."

At that, the biggest smile spreads across Erin's face and I lean down to kiss her.

We both pull away as Dr. Morrison turns to me. "Do you want to cut the cord?"

I nod eagerly as I take the scissors from the nurse. They quickly show me what to do and soon, our little girl was being whisked away from us so that they could get her measurements.

Eventually, she was returned to us, wrapped in a soft, warm pink blanket. She was wide awake, looking around, and she looked like a perfect little angel as she was laid on Erin's chest. I watched adoringly as Erin held her close. She was holding her tightly as if she would disappear at any moment. She would repeatively kiss her tiny forehead telling her over and over how much she loved her, and that she would forever take care of her. The sight just brought more tears to my eyes.

Soon, Erin turned to me, still holding on to our little girl as she asked me if I wanted to hold her.

I nod my head as I walk over closer to her. She adjusts her so that I could easily take her from her as I lean down. I plant a soft kiss on the top of Erin' s head before placing one on the baby's forehead, I then reach down and take her into my arms.

I look down to the precious baby girl in my arms and was overcome with more emotions as I saw her staring back up at me. She was healthy, beautiful, and perfect, and she was all _mine_. My little girl that I had impatiently waited for, for nine long months was finally here, and I suddenly couldn't wait for, forever. I couldn't wait for her first steps, her first words, teaching her how to ride a bike, her first day of school, and so on. I couldn't wait to experience all of this, but at the same time, I wanted her to remain this little forever.

I just stared down at her, with a huge goofy grin on my face. "Hey baby girl. Oh my gosh, you're perfect," I say lightly running my hand down the side of her face. "I love you so much Hope, you are my precious little girl till the day I die, and even then." I knew then as I stared down at my little girl, she would have me wrapped around her tiny little finger for as long as I lived. I was a goner.

"Jay!" Erin yells at me through the open sliding doors in our kitchen that lead to our back yard. She was in the kitchen getting all the last minute stuff together while I was on the porch setting the cake and food on the table. "Don't forget to tie down the table cloth; we don't want it flying up because of the wind!"

I just roll my eyes. "I know Erin, I'm working on it." I yell back. Today was our little Hope's third birthday, and within the hour all of our friends and family would be here to celebrate it.

I was on my way to the garage to get something to tie the table cloth down when Hope came running up to me. "Daddy!"

I just smile as I squat down in front of her. "Yes princess?"

She looks up at me with her huge blue eyes that she had inherited from Erin as she exclaims "Bubby pushed me down and got my dress muddy!"

I chuckle. "He did, did he?" I say as I turn to look at Will, who was standing about three feet away from us, shaking his head. Will was my older brother, but instead of calling him uncle, Hope had always called him bubby. We never knew why, but we didn't question it. We just figured she had heard my mom and Erin both call him that, and picked it up. It wasn't like he minded it, and we all thought it was precious. The usually tough Will had a huge soft spot for my little girl. "Will did you push my little girl down?" I ask, chuckling.

He glares at me. "Yeah, cause I live to hurt the kid." I raise an eyebrow at him and he throws his hands in the air in defense. "You know I wouldn't hurt a hair on that child's head."

I just roll my eyes as I turn back to Hope. "I tell you what, why don't you go inside and have mommy change you while I take care of bubby?"

She just nods as she wraps her tiny arms around my neck. I smile, hugging her tightly to me for a few brief moments before letting her go. "I love you."

"I love you too daddy!" She says as she takes off, running toward the back door. Within seconds, I could hear Erin shouting through the open kitchen window. I look to Will and we both cringe at the same time.

"HOPE! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR DRESS?!"

"BUBBY PUSHED ME INTO THE MUD!" Hope argues back in protest.

I just shake my head as I stand up and look to Will. He was running his hand over his face. "Dude, you might want to run,"

And as if on cue, Erin appears in the doorway. "WILL!"

Will looks back and forth between the two of us, with wide eyes. "God she's going to kill me now isn't she?" he asks resting his view on me.

I nod my head before turning and heading toward the garage, leaving the two of them to argue. Within minutes I had found what I needed and start back toward the yard. Once I was inside the gate I see Erin and Will standing in the yard, still arguing and Hope standing up on the porch near the picnic table, watching them.

I shake my head and run up the steps to the porch, my eyes widening as I see everything I had just spent the last thirty minutes setting up, lying on the ground. Hope was standing in the middle of it all, the food all over her and the table cloth in her hands.

"LORRAINE HOPE HALSTEAD WHAT DID YOU DO?!" I yell out, before I could stop myself. I was furious, yes she was just a child, but we had spent all afternoon working on the food. I had also just spent the last thirty minutes setting it up, so that it was up to Erin's standards, and not to mention, the three layer birthday cake that Erin had payed way too much for, was ruined.

"Daddy," Her tiny little voice starts as she looks up to me. "I was doing a magic trick" she says with my huge lopsided grin on her face.

Looking at her, and that adorable little smile, I couldn't stay mad at her. She was too cute for her own good. She knew exactly how to get out of anything with that grin, and I hated myself for allowing her to do so, but I couldn't help it. She was my little girl.

Soon my scowl turns into a smile as I shake my head, laughing slightly.

Just then I hear Erin's loud voice booming at Will as she turns and starts toward us. "Whatever Will, I swear you are just like your freaking brother! You both can push my buttons like no other!"

I roll my eyes, laughing slightly at her as she comes stomping up the steps. Both Hope and I watch her every move as she comes to a screeching halt at the top of the stairs.

Her eyes widen as she looks from the food on the ground, to Hope covered in food and cake, to me. "What happened here?"

I bite my bottom lip, trying to suppress a laugh. "Hope was doing a magic trick."

She looks at me as if I was crazy and I tip my head slightly toward Hope so that she didn't see me.

At that, Erin just nods her head. "Ahh," She walks toward Hope and scoops her up in her arms. "Good job baby girl!" She leans forward and places a soft kiss on her cheek as she heads for the kitchen door. "What do you say we go get you cleaned up while daddy does a magic trick of replacing it all?"

I just look at her in disbelief and she smirks as Hope starts jumping up and down in her arms. "YEAH!"

Erin blows me a kiss, before disappearing into the house.

I turn to look at Will, who had long joined us on the porch. I pick up my basketball that was resting on the porch and throw it at him as he laughs. He catches it with ease and I just narrow my eyes at him.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you," At that, he raises an eyebrow at me, confused. I just smirk. "While I'm gone to the store, you're going to clean this all up." I say motioning to the mess around us.

At that, I turn around and head toward the garage, leaving him there, dumbfounded.

Four years. That is how long it's been since this beautiful little girl has come into my life. At times it feels like a life time ago, but then at the same time, it feels like just yesterday.

The day she was born was the happiest day of my life; it changed my life, for the better. Before she was born I was this crazy kid, who ran around without a care in the world.

Without a doubt, she had changed not only life, but Erin's as well. We both were work a holics – spending our days chasing criminals and pushing our paperwork off to the last minute before heading to Molly's to drink the night away… Now, we both pray for the day to fly by and speed through our paperwork, often skipping going out for a drink. We enjoy staying at home, in our pajamas, snuggled up on the couch, watching Dora with our precious little girl. Everything we did, and still do is solely for her.

It's hard to believe that my precious little girl is already four years old. It seems like just yesterday she was a newborn, keeping Erin and I up all night as she cried. It seems like just yesterday that she learned to sit up and pull herself up, that she took her first steps, and that she had said her first word. It was daddy of course, I mean, I was her favorite.

And I will never forget the first time she looked up at me with those beautiful blue brown eyes of hers as she told me that she loved me. My heart melted right then and there and I had to fight hard to keep the tears from rushing from my eyes.

I smile at the memory of all of this as I sit on the side of her bed, in the pitch black bedroom. The only light in the room was coming from the moonlight shining through the window on the opposite side of the room.

I look down to my beautiful sleeping beauty and run my hand over her hair. She was lying on her stomach, one arm was lying underneath her and the other was holding her stuffed pig to her side. Her brown hair was fanned out across her pillow and her mouth was slightly open, but was she was dead asleep.

For however long I sat there, just staring at her and watching her sleep, I have no idea. I've always lost time when it came to her, but I knew one thing, and that was that I would never grow tired of this little girl. She was the perfect mix of her mother and me with my curly hair and bright blue eyes, Erin's creamy complexion and her sarcasm and wit. She had inherited her hair color from me, along with my spunkiness, compassion and love for everybody and everything. Her stubbornness, it's safe to say came from both of us.

She was perfect, and I often found myself in awe when it came to her. It wasn't possible to love her more but I found myself falling more and more in love with her every day.

Eventually I slip off of the bed and kneel beside her. I continue to run my hand over her hair as I smile down at her. After a few minutes I lean forward and press a kiss to her forehead as I whisper "Happy birthday baby girl, daddy loves you."

I pull back and stare at her for a few more minutes, enjoying seeing her so peaceful, before I stand up and head toward her door. I place my hand on the doorknob and pull the door open as I hear a tiny voice coming from underneath the covers.

"Love you more daddy."

Hearing her tiny voice, my heart swells and I smile. I linger in the doorway for a minute before continuing on out and down the hall toward mine and Erin's bedroom.

Erin and I were sitting at our kitchen table drinking coffee and talking when we heard the front door slam shut.

Erin jumps slightly, as I raise an eyebrow as I turn to face the kitchen door that leads into the living room. Just as I face the door I see Hope, now 14 years old go stomping up the staircase.

Tate walks into the kitchen, his eyes wide. Tate was mine and Erin's 9 year old son. The doctors had told us that it was a full on miracle that Erin was able to get pregnant with Hope, so we never expected to have another baby. But eventually, without us really trying for it, Erin ended up pregnant again when Hope was only four, she gave birth when Hope was five, and just starting kindergarten, which was a god send, because it kept Erin busy while Hope was at school.

"What's wrong with your sister?" I ask as I set my coffee cup down on the table.

He just shrugs as he sets his backpack down in the empty chair on the other side of Erin. "I don't know, she's been acting weird ever since we met at the bus stop."

Erin sighs "I'll go see what's wrong with her," She says, starting to stand up.

I lay my hand on top of hers and she looks up at me. "No, you stay here, I'll go."

She just looked at me through narrow eyes before sighing. "Alright, but be nice Jay."

I roll my eyes. "I will Erin."

"I'm serious Jay, no yelling. You have to actually listen to her."

I just stare at her. "Erin, I. Know." And with that, I push my chair back and head up the stairs.

Now that Hope was 14, she was in that awkward teenage stage, and unfortunately she was in that "I hate my father" stage. She and Erin got along just fine, because Erin would willingly listen to all of her 'girl' talk, but she and I on the other hand butted heads a lot lately. It broke my heart; she had gone from this sweet loving little girl, who followed me everywhere, to some beautiful young lady, who hated talking to me. I missed my little girl more than anything.

"Hope?" I ask as I softly knock on the door.

"Go away!" She yells back, instantly.

I close my eyes and let out a sigh. This was going to be one of _those_ talks, awesome. I should have just let Erin deal with this, like she wanted to. I was so desperate for my daughter to need me again, that I was now stuck in one of those God awful situations where she's going to yell and tell me that I 'didn't understand.'

Against my better judgment, I reach down and twist the door knob. The door swings open and I see Hope lying face down on her bed, her head buried in her pillow. She was clutching on to the same stuffed pig she had since she was two years old. It had been a gift from Hank, the bond the two of them shared was something to see.

She doesn't hear me walk in, so I walk across the room and set down on the edge of her bed.

Feeling the shifting of the bed she looks up at me through watery eyes.

I grimace as I notice that she had been crying. Nothing hurt me more than to see my little girl upset or hurt. "Baby girl what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" She shouts as she buries her face in her pillow again. "Leave me alone, I don't want to talk to _you_!"

A little taken back and a little hurt I bite my bottom lip as I nod my head and stand up to start toward her door. "Alright, I won't force you to talk, but if you change your mind later on, you know where to find me."

She turns to face me "Send mom in here." She mumbles before once again covering up her face.

If I said I wasn't hurt, I would be lying. Her entire life, I was the one she had gone to, I was the one she expected to fix things, and to kiss her scrapes and cuts, but I had now been replaced. It killed me.

I went downstairs and sent Erin up to talk to her. While they talked, Tate and I moved in the backyard to throw the baseball back and forth, warming him up before his game later that night.

Thirty minutes later, Erin appears in the doorway and motions for me. I throw the ball back at Tate before heading toward the porch. "Good job bud, why don't you take a break for a bit okay?"

He nods and I climb the stairs. I walk over to the swing, where Erin had sat down, and sit down next to her. "Hey, did you get anything out of her?"

She nods, biting her bottom lip.

I stare at her, waiting, but she never replies. "Well what is it?" I ask, growing annoyed.

She sighs as she turns to look out in the backyard to Tate, who was throwing the ball at Driver, who was chasing it down and bringing it back to him, the best he could for his old age.

"You remember her friend Brittany?" She starts and I nod my head.

"Yeah,"

"Well today Hope found out that Brittany had been lying to her." I just stare at Erin, waiting for her to continue. "Chris, the guy she really really likes has been texting Brittany saying all these horrible things about our girl. And that he would rather be with Brittany."

"That little fucker,"

"Jay –" Erin warns, and I roll my eyes.

"I'm not going to do anything stupid, Er. I just wanna talk to my girl." I say pushing myself up from where I was sitting, and heading inside

Soon , I was up the stairs and stop in front of her door. I don't even bother knocking as I walk on in. I find her lying on her back, cell phone in one hand, the stuffed pig in the other, as she just stares at the ceiling.

"Hope,"

She looks up at me.

"I heard about what happened with Brittany," I start as I walk over and sit down on the edge of the bed.

She just stares at me as she scoots over, allowing me more room to lie down beside her.

"You know you're the most beautiful girl I've ever laid my eyes on, right?" She rolls her eyes, and opens her mouth to argue. "No, I'm serious. The very second the nurse put you in my hands and we locked eyes, I was hooked. But I knew I was going to be in hell when your teenage years came around."

Hope stays quiet, her eyes were now on the ceiling, but I knew she was listening.

"You're young, baby girl. And I'm sure this hurts right now, but you're going to deal with some assholes before you find the one you're supposed to be with. You have the rest of your life to find him, and I know you will. Want to know how I know?"

"How?"

"Because I had just about given up on finding someone when I was detailed up to Intelligence and was introduced to your mom… now look at us." This causes her to smile slightly, which warms my heart.

"So don't you worry about him, ok? The right one will come around, eventually"

She reaches over, laying her head on my shoulder while hugging me tightly. "Thank you daddy." I just lean over and kiss the top of her head as my reply.

We lie in silence for a few minutes before I speak up once more. "Hope?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you want me to kill him still? Cause, I totally will!"

"Daddy!"

"Come on daddy," Hope, says as she pulls me by hand through the house and into the kitchen.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" I ask as I let her pull me along.

My little Hope was now 21 years old, almost 22. It almost doesn't seem possible for her to be that old; it seems like just yesterday I would hear whimpering in the middle of the night. I would then sneak out of bed without waking Erin, and shut off the baby monitor before I would make my way down the hall to her room. She would always be lying there, wide awake, waiting, waiting on me, because she knew I always came to her rescue. I would scoop her up and sit in the rocking chair next to her bed. We would spend the next two hours rocking while I talked to her, until she would eventually asleep in my arms.

She was no longer a little girl. She was all grown up, and was the spitting image of her mother. She was truly beautiful with her mother's creamy complexion, my dark hair that hung in curls, and the same huge blue eyes as before.

When Hope was a kid, she had favored me more than Erin, but the older she got, she looked more and more like her mother. Not that I was complaining, they were both beyond beautiful in my eyes. I mean Hope was truly a force to be reckoned with, with that dark hair and bright blue eyes, I've been chasing guys away for at least eight years now.

Hope had graduated high school, the valedictorian in her class. She went on to study criminal justice at CCU, and before I knew what was going on, she graduated top of her class. She now worked as our tech advisor in Intelligence, that I had long taken over when Voight finally retired. She was a pure tech genius, and her mother and I were both proud – but also relieved she didn't necessarily follow in our footsteps. She was much safer where she was, but very happy with her work.

She had moved out when she was only 18, and it had killed me. The day that her mother, her brother and I helped her move out of our house and into the small apartment she shared with her best friend Michelle, I was a total wreck.

She was now living on her own, done with school, and had a fabulous career that was working out for her. She was so young, and already so successful, and I was so beyond proud of her.

She had also started seeing some Ryan guy. I wasn't a big fan of the kid at first, but I eventually came around. He was a good guy, and he really cared for my little girl. He took good care of her and he really loved her. They were the perfect match. He was laid back and calm collected while she was loud and outgoing. They complemented each other perfectly.

"I can't tell you daddy!" The sound of my Hope's voice pulls me from my thoughts and pack to reality as she physically pulls me toward the door and reaches for the handle. "It's a surprise." She says turning to me, a giant smile on her face.

She was too cute, I couldn't resist her, or that smile, and she knew that. She has had me wrapped around her little finger ever since the day that she had been born, and she knew exactly how to play me.

"Come on Lor," I say as she pulls me into the backyard. "You know I hate surprises!"

And as if on cue, everyone that I knew and loved jumped up, scaring me half to death as they all shouted "SURPRISE!"

I chuckle as I look around the group of people in front of me, my parents, Will and his wife Nat, Adam, Kevin, Antonio and his wife, Kim, Al and his family, Ryan, Hank and Tate all smile at me, cheering as Erin walks toward me.

She wraps her arms around me and I lean down to plant a kiss on her lips. I then look up and wrap my other arm around Hope, pulling her into my right, as Erin stood on my left.

"We know," Hope says smiling up at me.

"That's why we did it," Erin says speaking up as she looks up at me too. "We love to watch you suffer."

"Ha – ha. You're so funny," I say reaching down and tickling her side.

Erin starts to laugh hysterically, twisting and turning to get out of my grip. I let her go as I turn to look at Hope who was laughing and smiling up at me.

"Happy birthday daddy," She says wrapping her other arm around me and hugging me.

I smile as I hug her back. "Thank you baby girl," We both pull back and I laugh. "So all this stuff about you wanting to take me out for my birthday was a decoy to get me out of the house?"

She just smirks, looking up at me. "Maybe,"

I clutch my chest, pretending to be hurt and she just laughs.

"Alright maybe a little bit, but not all of it. I took you out because you're my father and I love you, and you deserve to be taken out. It's not every day you turn 41." She says elbowing me.

Upon her saying that Tate, who was standing near us, starts to laugh.

I turn to look at him, eyebrow raised and he stops, just staring at me. "Watch it boy, you will be this old one day."

He starts to laugh again. "I'm only 16; I think I have a while."

I nod my head. "Yeah, but it feels like just yesterday I was 16, you don't know how fast time flies bud."

He just rolls his eyes as he turns to walk off. "Whatever."

I too, roll my eyes as I turn back to my daughter and Erin, who had walked back up. "Oh the joys of a having a teenager,"

Erin laughs "Well we got off pretty easy with Hope here," She says resting her hand on Hope's shoulder "We were bound to get it bad with Tate."

I sigh "I know," I reach over and wrap my arm around Hope's shoulder and pull her into me.

Later that night, the little surprise party that Erin and Hope had put so much work into was dwindling down. I had a good night, visiting with my friends and family that I hadn't seen in a while. Everyone was gone, except for Will, Hope and Ryan.

Erin and Hope were in the kitchen cleaning up the mess and doing the dishes while Will and Tate were out in the driveway playing a game of basketball. Well, more like Tate was playing, Will was trying not to drop dead from exhaustion.

I was sitting on the back porch just staring out into the backyard when I heard the door open. I look up and see Ryan coming out. He nods at me and I return the gesture, before he sets down in the chair next to me.

"Is it okay if I talk to you a minute?" He asks, looking over to me.

At his words, my heart begins to race. I'm not exactly sure, but something tells me this isn't going to be a typical conversation about sports or anything like that. I try to hide my worry as I nod my head. "Go ahead,"

He nods his head, taking in a deep breath. He looks down at his hands before looking up at me again. "Mr. Halstead, you know I love your daughter more than anything on this earth,"

 _Oh God, where is he going with this?_

"I would never let anything happen to her, I would honestly die, to protect her. All I want is for her to be happy and have the best life that she can," He pauses to take another deep breath. "I would do honestly anything for her to have that life. She means the world to me, and honestly I couldn't see myself living without her,"

I close my eyes as I lean back in my chair, trying my hardest to prepare myself for what I knew was coming next. Sure, I always knew this day would come, but I never suspected it, so _soon_. They were so young.

"I know that you are, and always will be the most important man in Hope's life. She's made that perfectly clear, and I understand and respect that. I would never want to become between you guys, I know my boundaries, but sir, I love her. I respect yours and her's relationship so that's why I'm coming to you, to ask your permission to ask Hope to marry me."

Yeah, this feels exactly like I thought it would. My heart feels like it's about to explode in my chest. He couldn't be serious. I know he loved her, he had proven that to me time and time again. Heck, they wouldn't still be together if I didn't like him, or believe that he really truly did love my little girl. But knowing all of this doesn't make it any easier.

He was a bright kid, with an even brighter future ahead of him. He loved Hope, and took good care of her. I know he loved her, but no matter how much I _did_ like him, nobody would ever be good enough for my Hope.

Hope is a bright girl with an amazing head on her shoulders; she knows what she's doing. She wouldn't be with this guy if he wasn't mature, and loving. She loved him more than anything, and that alone said something. Sure, I felt like nobody would ever be good enough for her, but honestly, if I had to pick the perfect guy for her, Ryan would be it.

I take a deep breath as I lean forward, looking at him.

His eyes cast upwards and lock with mine, and I can see the fear in them. _Smart kid_ , he _should_ be afraid, because so help me, if he ever hurts my little girl.

"Listen Ryan," I start "I like you, you are an amazing kid, and you have a very bright future ahead of you. I know you love Hope, and honestly I know she thinks the world of you too. I love that my little girl has finally found someone for her that treats her well. She deserves nothing but the best, and as much as it kills me to have to give her away, I know that you're the best thing for her. I'm giving you my blessing to ask Hope to marry you, and I really do look forward to having you in our family, because like I said, I like you. "At that, a smile spreads across Ryan's face and his shoulders start to ease up. "But," Almost as if he knew it was all too good to be true, he tenses back up. "Hope _is_ , always _has_ been, and always _will_ be my little girl. She was my first born, my first everything. I would _kill_ for her, no matter what the circumstances. So having said that, if you _ever_ hurt my little girl, I will personally kill you."

At that, his eyes widen, but I continue on. "I have a gun, sitting in my bedroom right now as we speak, and I know how to use it. Hurt her, and I _will_ make sure they never find your body. Got it?"

Wide eyed, and struck with fear, he nods.

I smirk as I stand up and give him a good slap on the back. "Good," Suddenly, my smirk turns into the smile that I had been fighting since the very beginning of my lecture. "Now, welcome to the family Ryan." I say, holding my hand out for him.

He looks at my hand and then back at me before shaking it.

I step back "Alright, go get your girl," I say nodding toward the house.

He smiles as she stands up and starts toward the house. "Thanks Mr. Halstead,"

I smile "Your welcome, take care of her."

At that, he just nods and disappears into the house. I stay standing in my spot watching him and Hope interact through the kitchen window. I watch as she squeals as he picks her up and spins around, before kissing her gently. I smile, knowing that he really was the best thing for her.

"Nice lecture," Hearing Will's voice, I jump slightly. I turn to him to see him laughing. I reach over and smack his head.

"Oh shut up, you know you will be doing the same thing one day with Sadie's future husband."

This time, he glares at me. "Um, I'm not even going to think about that. She's only 14."

I nod my head "Yeah, but you've seen personally, how fast they grow up." I say as I turn to look at Hope again through the window. She was standing at the sink, washing dishes with Ryan standing behind her, his arms around her waist and whispering in her ear. They really were _too cute_.

"Knock knock," I say as I tap my knuckles on the half open wooden door. "You ready to go baby girl?" I ask walking in the small room. I take one look at her, and my breath catches in my throat and my eyes threaten to spill over.

There stood my little girl, all grown up, wearing the most beautiful wedding gown I had ever seen in my life. She looked beyond beautiful, breath- taking.

"Doesn't she look amazing Jay?" Erin asks, as she steps around our daughter and walks over to me.

"She looks absolutely breath taking." I say smiling over to her.

She blushes as she looks down. "Daddy stops it,"

I smile at her cuteness. "I'm serious sweetie, you look beautiful."

She just smiles as she steps toward us. "Thanks daddy," She hugs both Erin and I before pulling back, with a huge smile on her face.

"Ready to go?" I ask, smiling at how happy she looks.

She nods excitedly and I laugh. "Alright, let's go."

Her bridesmaids and maid of honor had already gone out, to line up so she hugs and kisses her mother one more time before turning to me. "Let's go."

We watch as Erin disappears before I turn to her, holding my arm out to her.

She smiles up at me and links our arms. We turn to walk out the door and before I know it, we had already made our way down the aisle. Ryan was waiting at the end of the aisle, a huge smile spread across his face as he waited for her.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" The priest asks, looking down at me.

I smile as I un-link our arms and hold her hand in mine. "Her mother and I do,"

She looks up to me with tears in her eyes and smiles at me as Ryan makes his way toward us. "You will always be my little girl, no matter what. I love you so much baby." I whisper to her, so that only she could hear.

She blinks fast, trying to keep her tears from breaking free as she whispers right back. "Always, I love you too daddy."

I then reach over and place my little girls hand in the hand of the guy that will be taking my place. I just hope he realizes that he was holding my entire world in his hands.


End file.
